Emotional bias in explicit memory is theorized to play a prominent role in the etiology, maintenance, and recurrence of depression. Even though this cognitive bias is regarded as one of the most robust phenomena in depression, its magnitude and boundary conditions in depression are currently unknown. This review presents two three-level meta-analyses to estimate the overall effect size and identify moderators of explicit memory bias in depression. Meta-analysis I (153 studies, 686 contrasts) revealed a small overall effect size for naturalistic explicit memory bias in depression, g = 0.241, 95% CI [0.179, 0.304]. The magnitude of the overall effect was moderated by emotional valence of stimuli, operational definition of memory bias, depth of processing during encoding, explicit memory task, and the (non-)verbal nature of stimuli. Equivalent effect sizes were found for minors and adults as well as for clinical and subclinical depression. Remarkably, a nonsignificant effect size emerged for remitted depression. Following up on the latter finding, Meta-analysis II (21 studies, 80 contrasts) examined explicit memory bias in remitted depression under naturalistic conditions and under mood/stress induction. Results yielded a nonsignificant overall effect size, g = 0.131, 95% CI [−0.045, 0.307], but a significant effect size for study conditions with mood or stress induction, g = 0.273, 95% CI [0.004, 0.542]. Both meta-analyses indicated high levels of heterogeneity, even after accounting for variation explained by sample and study characteristics. The findings are consistent with the view that depression is characterized by an explicit memory bias that may persist beyond a depressive episode. These findings have implications for cognitive theories of vulnerability to depression as well as clinical interventions.

中文翻译：

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对显性记忆偏差和抑郁症之间关系的荟萃分析回顾：抑郁症的特征是显性记忆偏差持续超过抑郁发作。

从理论上讲，外显记忆中的情绪偏见在抑郁症的病因、维持和复发中起着重要作用。尽管这种认知偏差被认为是抑郁症中最强大的现象之一，但其在抑郁症中的幅度和边界条件目前尚不清楚。本综述提出了两项​​三级荟萃分析，以估计总体效应大小并确定抑郁症显性记忆偏差的调节因素。Meta 分析 I（153 项研究，686 项对比）显示抑郁症中自然显性记忆偏差的总体效应量较小，g = 0.241, 95% CI [0.179, 0.304]。总体效果的大小受到刺激的情绪效价、记忆偏差的操作定义、编码过程中的处理深度、外显记忆任务和刺激的（非）语言性质的影响。对于未成年人和成人以及临床和亚临床抑郁症，发现了等效的效应量。值得注意的是，缓解抑郁症的效果并不显着。继后一个发现之后，Meta 分析 II（21 项研究，80 个对比）检查了在自然条件下和情绪/压力诱导下缓解抑郁症的显性记忆偏差。结果产生了不显着的总体效应大小，g = 0.131, 95% CI [-0.045, 0.307]，但在情绪或压力诱导的研究条件下，效应大小显着，g = 0.273, 95% CI [0.004, 0.542]。两项荟萃分析均表明存在高度异质性，即使在考虑了样本和研究特征所解释的变异之后。研究结果与抑郁症的特征是显性记忆偏差的观点是一致的，这种偏差可能会持续到抑郁发作之后。这些发现对抑郁症易感性的认知理论以及临床干预具有重要意义。